Your generosity is an expression of what matters to you. Making a gift may feel like a single moment, but what follows is thoughtful and intentional.
At the Children’s Foundation of Michigan, we listen to what matters to you, carefully steward your gift, put it to work where it can make a difference, and share back the impact it helped create.
1. It starts with what matters to you
That cycle starts by determining what is important to you.
“Throughout history, philanthropists have been an integral part of advancing society and improving quality of life,” Sean White, Vice President of Development. “Donors make gifts that are both meaningful to themselves and their families and responsive to the pressing needs facing individuals and communities.”
Understanding that personal connection is an important part of the Foundation’s work. A donor’s priorities may be shaped by lessons learned throughout their life, personal or professional experiences, or a desire to honor someone important to them.
That is why the Foundation views development as relationship-building. Our team listens to what matters to donors and helps them connect those values with opportunities to improve the lives of Michigan’s children and families.
Sometimes that means helping a donor determine where their gift can make the greatest difference. Other times it means exploring ways to give, from cash and stock to estate gifts or establishing an endowed fund that can support children for generations.
2. Your gift is carefully stewarded
That relationship continues after a gift is made, as the Foundation takes on the important responsibility of stewarding the resources entrusted to us.
“When people think about philanthropy, they often picture moments of transformation,” said Alissa Novoselick, Vice President of Finance & Administration. “A child receiving care. A researcher making a breakthrough. A nonprofit launching a new program.”
What they may not picture, she said, is the work happening behind those moments: investment policies, financial controls, audits, reporting and oversight.
These are some of the most important ingredients in lasting philanthropy, because when you make a gift—you are trusting us to care for it and put it to good use.
At the Foundation, charitable resources are managed through disciplined financial practices and multiple layers of oversight, including the Finance & Audit Committee and Investment Committee, independent audits, expert investment guidance and strong internal controls.
These systems are not simply about protecting assets. They allow the Foundation to steward resources responsibly while positioning them to create as much good as possible.
“Thoughtful financial stewardship is what allows us to deliver on our mission, today and for generations to come,” Alissa said.
3. Generosity becomes impact
The next step in a gift’s cycle is applying it to create the greatest difference.
“Our Impact Team brings a deep understanding of the needs facing children and young people across Michigan, along with knowledge of the organizations working every day to address them,” said Kelly Brittain, vice president of Impact. “Through relationships with nonprofit leaders, community partners, and other funders, the team stays close to both the challenges affecting young people and the programs, research, and solutions showing promise.”
That knowledge guides how the Foundation puts generosity to work.
We support organizations serving young people from birth to age 26, with grantmaking focused on improving health, wellbeing, and opportunities for young Michiganders. That includes community-inspired solutions, effective programs, and innovative research.
In 2025, that approach resulted in nearly $5.4 million in grants. Since 2011, the Foundation has awarded more than $90 million.
The real impact of those dollars is in what they make possible: responding to community needs, expanding access to care, advancing new discoveries, strengthening organizations, and creating more opportunities for young people to thrive.
4. Impact is shared back to you
Once your gift is put to work, we want you to see the difference it helped make.
Through updates, stories, reporting, and ongoing conversations, we share what your generosity made possible for Michigan’s children and families. It’s an opportunity to see the programs supported and challenges being addressed, but also to continue the conversation about what matters to you.
A gift may begin with a single act of generosity, but caring for your generosity continues, long after.
